"Fairrin Part 1 ~ Chapters 13-15" by Twyla Bendyna

Chapter Thirteen

“There it is -- Faerie Castle.”  Derek looked at the Barren’s, which stretched up to the castle gates.  From his vantage-point, Unicorn Leap, he could also see two of the three Outlander worksites.  Seeing them made him sick.  He turned to his advisor, Nick.  “We’ll camp here for a couple of days, Nick.  Pass the word.”

“Yes sir,” Nick replied before walking off.  He hadn’t gotten far before Tic, a young elf, came rushing up.

“Sir!  Rider approaching, fast!”  The young man waited for orders.

“Go get Prince Derek!  He’s at the Leap!”  Nick rushed back to camp.  There he saw a breathless Tara.

“Sir!” -gasp- “Rider!” -gasp--gasp- “Coming up...”-gasp- “fast!”

“To arms!  You sit back and rest, Tara.”

“Yes sir,” she replied as Derek and Tic rushed forward.

“Do you see them, Nick?”

“Not yet - Wait!  There!”  Nick pointed at a shape moving forward, and then had to jump out of the way of an arrow.

“Dalan and Jarrod, shoot!”  Derek cried out.

They let loose a couple of arrows, which missed their mark.  Then they heard a shout.

“Not me!  Them.  Behind me!”  Then they saw the centaurs following close behind the first rider.  Those who had never seen a centaur backed away in fright at the sight.  Dalan quickly let go two arrows, and both made their marks.  The two centaurs stumbled to their knees, grasping their chests, and then fell over as David dismounted.

“Dalan, Jarrod, you two crazy fairies are lucky Morgan and I were able to dodge your shots!”  He turned to Derek and saluted.  “David reporting in, Sire.  Finally escaped those good-for-nothing Outlanders.”

Derek clasped David’s forearms in friendship.  “David, welcome home!”

“Father.”  Tara threw herself at David.  “We thought you were dead,” she mumbled into his chest.

“Not yet, girl.”  He laughed.  “Your Dad’s a tough old elf.  Take more than Outlander labor-camps to bring me down.”  He cried, though, as he hugged his daughter.

“David!”  Sara’s face lit up with a smile as she walked forward.  “I’m sure glad to see you again!”

“Same to you, Sara.”  He suddenly let his daughter go.  “Now, Your Highness.  On to my reason for being here.  First, permission to join the Army at this late date.”

“Granted, assuredly,” Derek said with a smile.

“Second:  a message.  It’ll be a few more weeks, maybe months, for that wound is more stubborn than she is, but Princess Jessica asks permission to rejoin the Army at the first opportunity.”  Gasps of absolute shock accompanied that statement.

“Jessica?”  Derek’s eyes went wide with shock.  He shook his head as if to clear it of thought.

“The Princess is dead, David.”  Nick jerked his head at Derek.  “The Prince found the evidence.  Her footsteps led to a battle site, but either didn’t leave it, or left it as a prisoner.”

“Of course not alone.  She was walking alongside of Star.”

“Star?”  Rolin blinked.  “She escaped?”

“Yes, she and Princess Alana both did.”  He then went on to tell of their journey, his and Rose’s joining up, and the scuffles that had broken out repeatedly between them and Outlanders.  “Then, I headed for the Army.  Luckily, Princess Jessica was able to give a good layout of the route the Army was taking, or I’d have never found you all.  Then, on my way here, I met up with Morgan, who’d just escaped one of the worksites.  Makes for a quick mount for the Army!  So-o, here I am.”

“That was all around three months ago?”  Nick asked.

“Yes.”  David looked at Derek.  “Sire, is Sage still around?”

“Yes, I am, David.”

“Sage!  Good.”  David grabbed the old dragon’s arm and pulled him along.  “I need to talk with you about a certain Princess and an old tale of yours.”  They disappeared into the trees.  Then the dam broke – Princess Jessica was alive.

~***~

“Sage, did you lie to us about 30 years ago?”

“What?”  Sage looked shocked.

“Did you lie to us about Ama?”  David faced Sage, arms akimbo.

“What are you talking about?”

“Jessica!  She looks too much like Ama and acts too much like her.”

Sage slumped onto a log.  “You noticed, too?  No one else seems to have yet.  To answer your question, though--No, David, I didn’t lie to you.  I just didn’t tell all the truth.”  He looked up at the elf standing before him.  “I didn’t want anyone to know that Amarine had willingly gone with the human to escape marriage to Prince Aaron.  I truly believed, though, that she would be killed when they got to Carmania.”  Sage’s eyes became pleading.  “She doesn’t know.  Only you, Derek, Lariette, and I know that she’s Amarine’s daughter.  Let it stay at that, all right?”

“Yes, Sage, I will.  I won’t ever speak of it again, to anyone, even you.  I’m glad to know the truth, though.  Thank you.”  David turned and walked off.

“Of course, David.”

~***~

“How do you feel today, Princess?”

“All right.  The limp isn’t as bad any more.  See?”  Jessica stood up and walked around a bit.  “I could almost think I might be able to leave next week for the battle, even!”

“I don’t think so.”  Anabelle approached the two Princesses, having walked up in time to catch the last part of the sentence.  “I want you to stay here for another couple of weeks, at least, Princess.  No less than two or three.”

“Of course, Anabelle!  I was just joking about leaving.  I’d not be much use with this limp, even if I did go.”

“Come on, Princess, it is time for another treatment.”  She turned and walked out of the chamber.

“Boy, never knew Anabelle was so bossy!  She was always so kind and all.”  Alana shook her head slowly.

“Well, you probably never had to have her take care of a serious wound like mine before.  All our physicians back in Carmania are this bossy and more, even with Father, when the wound is serious.  I’d better go before Anabelle has to come back after me.  I remember last time I dawdled.”  Jessica walked out of the chamber.

Alana giggled, remembering that time.  “Really,” she said, then got up and followed Jessica down the tunnel.  ‘Boy, are most Fairrinians ever wrong about humans.  The Princess is wonderful!’  Jessica had already sat down and uncovered her wound when Alana entered the cave’s mouth.

“It looks better every day, Anabelle.”

“Yes, it does, Princess.  Now, hold still for a bit.”

“Sure.”  She looked at Alana and smiled.  “You want to be in the battle, don’t you, Princess?”

“Yes, but I know Derek would never allow it.”  She sat down next to Jessica.  “I miss Star, too.  I wish she hadn’t felt the need to go to battle.”

“We all miss Star, Princess,” Wildfire said as she walked up.  She looked at Jessica’s wound.  “That keeps looking better and better.  I wish I could go with you when you leave, but it’ll be impossible with the colt coming on.”

Anabelle glanced up at Wildfire with curiosity.  “Colt?” she quickly asked before looking back at the wound.

“Yes.  I know it’s a colt.  I just feel it deep down.”  Wildfire smiled happily.  “A little colt for Lariette.”

Jessica and Alana smiled at Wildfire.  “Well,” Alana said, “I hope it is a colt, ‘because you’ll be disappointed if it’s a filly.”

“No,” she replied with a shake of her head, “I’d be just as happy with a filly, but Lariette, I’m sure, would be happier with a colt.”

“You can’t be sure unless he’s told you, Wildfire, and he hasn’t seen you since you came here, so you don’t know,” Jessica said, hoping to end the conversation.

“Who doesn’t know what?”  Rose asked, limping in.

“Don’t worry, Rose.  It’s nothing, really,” Wildfire said, then turned back to Jessica.  “And I’m nearly positive about it, Princess.”  With that, she turned and walked off.

Jessica shook her head.  “Princess, don’t move!”  Anabelle exclaimed.

“Sorry, Anabelle.  I wasn’t thinking.”

“There, that's all I can do for today,” Anabelle said a couple of seconds later.  “Be careful, all right?”

“Of course, Anabelle.  I’ll be back about suppertime.  I’m going to do some scouting.”  She headed for the hidden passageway.

Anabelle shook her head.  “I hope she’s careful.  It’s dangerous out there.”

~***~

“David, you saw the Princess?”  Dalan had gone after David, and caught him when he was headed back for camp.

“Yes, of course I did!  How else would I have gotten her message?”

“She’s all right, then?”

“Yes.  She saved my life at The Valley, and then we headed off to Birth Cave.  Weren’t you listening to me talking?”

“No, sorry, I wasn’t.  I think most of us were too shocked by your message being from her.  Every one of us thought she was dead.  Prince Derek saw the evidence of it.”

“And, like I said, she met up with Star and Princess Alana at that site, and saved Star, in a way.  All that blood belonged to a centaur that Star had killed.  Not the Princess.”

“Well, I’m glad to know that she’s alive.  I’m very fond of that human.  She’s kind-hearted, like Fauna.”  He suddenly stopped and glanced over at David.  “You said Princess Alana was at Birth Cave, too?”

“Yes, I did.”

“That’s a relief.  I’m even happier to know she’s no longer in that Outlander worksite.”  They started walking again.  “How’d she escape?”

“A log fell on her leg, breaking it, and they put her off to the side, thinking she could go nowhere.  Then, Star went to get a drink, and managed to slip away.  Alana pulled herself to the forest, somehow got on Star, and they headed off, trying to get to Council Cave.  Princess Jessica found them, and took them to Anabelle.”

“Is her leg all right?”  Dalan’s voice was full of worry.

David shot a glance at him.  ‘Can it be?’  “She still had a bit of a limp when I left, but it gets less and less pronounced every day.”  ‘Is Dalan in love with her?  But, he hasn’t seen her for years!’

Dalan’s sigh of relief was audible.  “I don’t give a care about her limp, just so long as her leg healed up OK.”  With that, he walked off.  As an afterthought, he said over his shoulder, “She doesn’t need the pain of an unhealed broken bone.”  He disappeared.

“He is in love with her!  How long has this been?  She’s only twelve, so it can’t have been long, but she was a child when he left!”

“Who was a child?”

David wheeled in fright, and then sighed in relief.  “Sage, what do you think you were doing, sneaking up on me like that!  You about gave me a heart attack!  Do you realize you shouldn’t sneak up on people like that?”

“Sorry, David.  Moreover, I do realize that.  You’re the third person to point it out to me.”

“Well, why don’t you stop sneaking up on people, then?”

“I don’t try to sneak up on them.  I thought I was making sufficient noise.  Now, could you answer my question?”

David blinked.  “What question?”

“Who was a child?”

“Oh!  Princess Alana.”  He looked in the direction Dalan had gone, then back at Sage.  “I think Dalan’s in love with her, but I can’t see how that could be when...” Sage cut him off.

“When he left Fairrin when Princess Alana was just six?”

“Yes!”

“Dalan knew when she first looked him in the eyes that he loved her, David.  Only he and I know this.  He asked me to keep it a secret until she was sixteen.  He said he’d ask for her hand then.  So, don’t tell a soul, David.  Understand?”

“Yes, Sage.  I won’t tell anyone.  I won’t talk about it to Dalan, either.”

“Good.  Now, let’s get back to camp before they send out a search party for us,” Sage said, chuckling.

David smiled.  “Good idea.”  They turned and went back to camp.

Derek claimed David immediately and dragged him off.

“How is Jessica?”  He asked as soon as they were alone and seated.  “Is her wound healing properly now?”

David was shocked to hear him use her first name alone.  “Y-yes.  Her wound is healing up nicely.  It’s taking a long time, though, since she waited so long to get help for it.  She may wind up with a permanent limp, though I pray she doesn’t.”

“Same here.  Now, about my sister: what happened to her?  You said she got injured before she and Star escaped.”

“A log fell on her leg and broke it.”

“Broke it!  Is she all right?”  Derek shot up from his seat in horror.

“It’s healed up nicely and doesn’t cause her any pain.  She might have a slight limp from now on, though.”

“She would hate a limp, David.  She loves to be outside running and such.”

“I know.”

“Princess Jessica will hate a limp, too.  She’s just like Alana in that respect.  I expect both of them will be chaffing to be out here in battle: although, I’d never let Alana do such a thing.  I can’t tell that human what she can and can’t do.  I tried and failed there.”  Derek sat back down.  “How’s Wildfire coming along?  No hitches in the pregnancy, I hope.”

“She’s doing fine.  I gather she thinks it’s a colt.  She keeps saying ‘he’ or ‘him’, not ‘it’.”

Derek shook his head.  “I hope she doesn’t get disappointed if it’s a filly and not a colt.”

“So do I.”

Derek stood up.  “Well, let’s get back.  I have to think of a position in the Army for you, since Nick is the Patrol leader now.  Luckily, we’re here for a few days.  Gives me thinking time.”  They went back to camp.  Derek held his hand up for silence when they got to the clearing.  “First, Princesses Jessica and Alana are both well and safe at Birth Cave.  Next, I’m sure Nick didn’t have a chance to tell you, so I’ll tell you now.  Set up camp -- we’ll be here for a few days.  Let’s get to work.”  The group separated and the camp making was underway.

Chapter Fourteen

Jessica looked up to see the sun over head.  ‘Time to start back,’ she thought, then wheeled as she heard a scream to her left.  She drew an arrow, fitted it in her bow, and then slowly made her way towards the sounds that now reached her ears.

She jumped to one side, narrowly escaping a stray arrow, and then heard a voice she recognized.  ‘Koran!’  The thought flashed through her mind, and she quickened her pace.  She got there and saw a young elf-maid lying on the ground.  A unisus was trying to protect her from the centaur standing before them.  The centaur, whom Jessica saw was Koran, had a deep gash on his left arm, and the unisus had many cuts on his body.  Two gnomes were lying dead nearby.

“Give it up, unisus!  You’re as good as de--” Koran’s eyes widened, and they both looked to see an arrow protruding from his right shoulder.  He looked over to see Jessica step from the trees, another arrow out and fitted to her bow.  “You again!  What is this?”

“You’re day to die, I think.”

“I don’t,” Koran replied.  He suddenly disappeared as Jessica loosed her arrow.

She blinked.  “He just disappears.  That must be how he escaped before.”  She turned to the unisus.  “Are you all right?”

“No.  I’m really weak.”

“You probably got some of his blood on your cuts.  A centaur’s blood is poisonous.”  She bent over the girl.  "Is she all right?”

“I don’t know.  Those gnomes knocked her off my back.  If I hadn’t killed them, they’d have killed her.”  He cocked his head, looked at Jessica closer, then backed up, eyes wide with surprise.  “You’re a human.”

“Yes.  My name’s Jessica.”  She looked up at him closely.  “You're Daren, aren’t you?  Wildfire’s brother?”

“Yes, I am.  How did you know?”

“You fit that description.”

“Did you know Wildfire?”

“Yes, I do.  She’s at Birth Cave right now, with your mother.”  She ignored Daren’s gasp.  “Think you can carry her?”

“I can carry you both, probably, but my wing is hurt.  Can’t even move it an inch.”

“We’ll use the secret passageway, then.”  She got the elf-maid onto Daren’s back, and then steadied her.  “You don’t have to carry me, as well.  I can walk just fine.  Let’s go.”

They made it to the entrance at dusk, and headed down the tunnel.  There was no light left when they stepped into the cave.

“Jessica!  We were worried sick!”  Alana rushed forward, and then stopped abruptly.  “Elisabyth!  Daren!  You escaped!”  She went to the unisus, and then realized that the elf-maid was unconscious.  “OH.”  She put her hands to her mouth.  “What happened, Daren?”

“We were attacked,” he said as Jessica took the girl off his back.  He grimaced.  “I couldn’t do anything.  If this human hadn’t shown up, we’d probably both be dead now.”

Anabelle came in to see who was there, and stopped to stare at her son.  “Daren.  You’re alive.”

“Yes, but my wing’s hurt really badly.  I can’t move it an inch.”  He nodded his head back to the wing as he spoke.  “I can’t even feel it.”

Anabelle walked over to him and tried to heal it.  She lifted her head and looked at the wing in confusion.  “It’s like there's no life in it!  It feels dead to my touch.”

“Anabelle, could you check Elisabyth out?  She won’t wake up,” Alana called out from her spot by the young elf.

Anabelle walked over and touched the girl with her horn.  Elisabyth’s eyes began to flutter, and then completely opened.  At first she just stared up ahead, and then she sat up with a small scream.

“It’s all right, Lisa.  You’re safe now,” Alana tried to calm the girl down, but the elf stayed frantic.

“Who are you?”

“Princess Alana.  Don’t you recognize me?”

“Oh, Princess!”  Her hands tightened on Alana’s.  “What’s wrong with me?  Why can’t I see?”  Lisa was almost in tears.

Alana exchanged a shocked glance with Jessica.  She was blind!  Jessica turned to Lisa.

“Elisabyth, my name is Jessica.  I don’t know why you can’t see, except that you maybe hit your head very hard when you were pulled off of Daren.”  She looked at him.  “Do you know if she did, Daren?”

“She did.  They threw her against a rock when she struggled.  I killed them both when she fell to the ground, limp.”

Anabelle was thinking hard about something.  She said, slowly, “I don’t recall any case of a unicorn giving someone’s sight back, but I will try.”  So saying, she touched her horn to Lisa’s forehead.  Then she stepped back, shaking her head.  “I can’t feel the injury.  Sorry, Lisa.”  The girl then burst into tears.

“Elisabyth?”  Jessica called her name softly.  “I remember one of my father’s men, Alex.  He got knocked off his mount one day, during a battle.  He was found alive and taken back to the keep.  When he woke up, we learned that he was blind.”  Lisa had stopped crying and was now listening to Jessica.  Jessica took the girl’s hands gently.  “He began to relearn everything, and was able to do everything except fight within a few years.  Then, about two years ago, he fell and hit his head.  When he woke back up, he could see again.  We called it a miracle.  So, you may get your sight back.  Just be patient.”  Lisa reclaimed her hands and wiped her cheeks.

“See, Lisa?  It won’t be so bad.  You can do some of the stuff you used to!  I’ll help you relearn, OK?”

“Sure, Princess.”  She had a small smile this time.  “Maybe it’ll be fun.”

~***~

Dusty lowered his head to take a drink, but stopped mid-way, listening.  ‘What was that?’ he wondered, then heard it again.  It was a definite hoof-beat up ahead.  He quietly crossed the stream, and then headed in that direction.  A minute later, he heard it again, this time snapping a twig.  ‘Whoever this is, he's trying to sneak around, and isn't making it,’ he thought to himself.  Then he saw a flash of color up ahead and ducked out of sight, watching carefully.  Finally, he caught a glimpse of white again, then a shimmer of blue.  Relieved that it wasn’t an Outlander, he stepped forward and called out, “Hello!  Identify yourself, please!”  Suddenly, the shimmer became a white blur and a voice.

“Dusty!”  A unicorn rushed forward, nearly knocking him down.  “Boy, am I glad to see you!  I was starting to think that I might be lost!”

“Star!”  Dusty exclaimed, stumbling back a bit.  “Whatever are you doing out here?”

She tossed her mane.  “Coming to fight.  What else?”

“Star, I don’t think--”

“Amarine’s fighting, and she’s younger than I am.  Don’t you dare try to send me back, Dusty.  Only Prince Derek can do that.  Now, can you take me to the camp?”

“No.  I’m on patrol right now.  I can’t leave.”

“Then, point me in the right direction, if you will.  I will fight in the Army.”  She tossed her mane again.

Dusty nodded his head north.  “That way.  You would have made it if you’d not met up with me.”  He turned and walked off, thinking, ‘I sure hope she doesn’t get hurt really bad.’

Star snorted at his back.  “Fine, Dusty.  I thought we were friends, but I guess not.”

~***~

“Star!  How did you get here?”  Derek practically gaped at the young unicorn.

“I walked and ran, of course.  I wish to join up with the Army, Your Highness.”

“Why?”

“To fight, of course.  Princess Alana understands, and wishes she dared come and try, too.”

Derek shook his head, smiling.  “I knew she’d feel that way.  Very well, Star, you may join up.”

“Thank you, Prince Derek.  I won’t disappoint you, I promise!”  She smiled happily as she spoke.

“We’ll see, Star.  Come on, I’ll take you to camp.”  They headed for the others.  “How is my sister doing?  David showed up and said that her leg had been broken.”

“She’s doing much better, now that she can walk again.  It’s just sore.  She won’t say so, but I see her rubbing it a lot.”

“And, Princess Jessica?  Is she all right?”

“As well as can be expected.  She’s pining to come down and join the fighting, but Anabelle won’t let her go anywhere for a couple more weeks.  I think she’s about ready to bolt.  She’s extremely restless, keeps going out to scout around.  Worries Anabelle and Wildfire half to death, especially when she doesn’t get back before dark.  She and Princess Alana are great friends now.  Always talking and such.  They act like they’ve known each other for years; almost like they were sisters.”

“I figured they would.  They’re a lot alike.  Nothing like Fauna, that’s for sure.”

“Poor Fauna.  You know, they keep her under close guard.  She’d almost escaped twice, and almost killed one of the guards once.  They rarely let her out of the encampments.  She’s kept inside all night now.”

“That’s horrible.  I wish we could free all of the captives; but I know it’s impossible.  We’d loose too many of our people if we tried.  The Outlander army’s too big, and now they have those centaurs helping them.”

“Yes; and boy are they nasty!  One almost killed me.  If Princess Jessica hadn’t found me, I would have died of its blood poisoning.”

“So I’ve heard from David.  Well, here we are.”  They stepped out into the encampment.  “Look who I found, Rolin.”  The unicorn turned around at the Prince’s voice.

“Star!”  Rolin rushed over and nuzzled the mare’s neck.  “Boy, it sure is good to see you again!”  Others gathered around and began asking all kinds of questions, which she easily answered.

“All right, everyone, we need to get back to our duties now.  I think Star should be allowed to get a bit of rest before she’s given her duties,” Derek said, and everyone soon left Star alone.  Dusty came in from his watch at that moment.

“Prince Derek, why haven’t I been relieved yet?  It’s getting pretty late.”

“Sorry, Dusty, they were all too busy hounding on Star.  Alexi’s on his way out there now, don’t worry.”

“OK.  Then I guess I’ll just stay at camp.  Unless you want me to go meet up with him?”

“That’s all right.  It’s so late, I’m sure he’ll know that you’re already back.”

“Thanks.”  He looked over at Star.  “Is she staying?”

“Yes, she is.”  He looked sharply at Dusty when the unicorn sighed in resignation.  “You disapprove?  She’s old enough, and quite capable of battle.”

“I know, but I’d rather her not be fighting.  She might get hurt again.”  With that enigmatic comment, Dusty turned and headed over to his brother, leaving a very confused Derek staring after him.

Chapter Fifteen

“So, Anabelle, when do you think I might be able to go back to the Army?”  Jessica replaced her leg covering and looked hopefully at the unisus.  “Soon, I hope?”

“Maybe next week.”

“Jessica, can you come here?  I need help with Lisa.  She’s become frustrated again.”  Princess Alana peeked in the chamber.

“Sure.  I’m just about done here.  I’ll be out in a minute or two.”  Alana left.  “That’s good news, Anabelle.  I hope I do get back in a week.  It’d be good to be getting more exercise.”  She stood up and left the chamber.

Anabelle looked in the direction Jessica disappeared.  “More exercise?  You get enough already, I’d think, leaving the cave and staying out almost all day.”  She shook her head and followed the princess.

Jessica was already kneeling before the young elf-maid.  “What’s wrong, Lisa?  Princess Alana says you’re frustrated.”

“Princess, I can’t do it!  It’s just too hard.  When you can’t see a thing, how do you walk around without bumping into things?  It’s impossible!”  Lisa shouted.

“No need to shout, Lisa.  We’re not deaf.  Besides, it is possible.  Alex, the knight back home, had been able to do it.  He counted out the steps he needed to take.”

“Oh, and I’m supposed to be able to remember these numbers, no problem?”  Her mouth was set in a grim line.  “You try to do that!”

Jessica shook her head.  “I can’t, because I can see.  Alex relied on his nose, ears, mind, and being able to feel things.  He got to where he could tell who was talking to him just by their voice, and could even face them and seem to look in their eyes while they spoke.  Moreover, he was quite old by the time he got his sight back.  If he could do it, I’m sure you can.  You’re only 17 years old, whereas he was almost 50.”  She stood up and took hold of Lisa’s hand.  “Come on, I’ll walk with you.”  She waited for Elisabyth to get up, and then took the young woman’s arm in her own.  “Now, let’s count, OK?”

“Sure,” Lisa said softly.

“OK, we’re at the mouth of the cave.  Can you feel the sunlight on your back?”

“Yes.”

“Good.  Now, we’ll walk along the right wall first.  That way you can run your hand along the wall as you walk.  Let’s go.”  They began to walk forward.  “Now, don’t shuffle - pick your feet up.”

Elisabyth stopped.  “Then how will I know if I’m about to trip over a rock or something?”

“That’s why you have that stick.  Keep it out in front of you, and low to the ground,” she helped put it out right, “like this, and it will hit on anything that’s in the way.  Come on, now.”  They started again.  “Count.”

“One, two, three...”

Anabelle and Alana watched as Jessica led Lisa along the wall.  The elf looked tiny next to the princess, almost like a child.  Jessica was in fact the younger one.  “You know, Princess, I’d never have the patience that that human has to do that.  I’d have given up long ago.  She never seems to even be slightly annoyed by Lisa.”

“I know.  I’m always losing patience with her, and I’m not much younger than Jessica.”

“What’s that?”  Lisa asked as her stick hit the wall.

“We’ve reached the other side.  Now, how many steps was that?”

“Forty-eight.”

“All right, now, try to remember that.  Do you feel the sunlight hitting you now?”

“No,” she said, then, “Forty-eight” under her breath.

“That’s because we’re in shadow now.  This time, we’ll walk along the back wall.  Count again.”

“Sure,” she replied, and they headed off again, until they reached the first tunnel.  “Eighteen,” Lisa called out as she touched the opposite wall.

“All right.  Now, the wall curves slightly as you head to the next tunnel, so pay attention.”

“OK.”

The others watched as Jessica helped Lisa out, thinking how wonderful it was to have the human around the place.